CHERYL GIBBS: Inspirational Katie touched the hearts of so many in her short life

The teenager, from Crookhorn, had such a zest for life and battled more in her 14 years than most do in a lifetime.

Katie’s parents, Jason and Michelle, spent a couple of hours talking to me about their beautiful daughter and were simply bursting with pride.

They were both deeply saddened and devastated by such a monumental loss.

But they spoke in detail about what made Katie so special, ensuring that they spoke about her personality and love of life rather than about the illness that finally took that life.

Katie was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma cancer and underwent treatment for almost a year, going through chemotherapy which resulted in hair-loss and chronic side-effects.

But, being the sport I now know Katie was, she fought it with everything she had and was going through the treatment with a lot of success before doctors found out in December last year that she had a secondary metastatic tumour that was fatal.

What can be said about something so tragic it eventually claimed the life of a girl who had everything to live for?

Katie passed away on January 30 this year.

She was just a few days short of her 15th birthday, on February 4, which also happened to be World Cancer Day.

More than 30 family and friends celebrated her birthday by releasing balloons on Portsdown Hill in her memory.

Her parents want to thank everyone who helped support Katie and their family through Katie’s illness.

They spoke highly about the doctors and nurses at Queen Alexandra Hospital and Southampton General, the therapy dogs team, the community nurse team, Chestnut Tree House, the Ronald McDonald House and Clic Sargent.

They all helped Katie live the fullest life she could on some of her darkest days.

In 14 years, Katie left a legacy most can only dream of and she touched the hearts of many.